Southern Pacific M/W

Southern Pacific Maintenance of Way

Last Update: 12/18/15

SP Index

A tip of the hat to M/W workers everywhere from a former track department employee: these guys, were/are the least appreciated and paid, but most heavily worked (and some of the nicest) folks in the railroad community. Eight hours with shovel, tamping bar and spike maul is tough enough, but whenever a train scatters all over the real estate, it's M/W people that slave, with no rest for 16, 18, 24 hours or more, to put things right. See the Big Coyote Pileup of '66.

^12-15Donner's Unsung Heroes - Early 1980's photos by SR Bush of his motor car rides w/ the Colfax section crew.

Earl Hanson's SP Ditcher Gang, 1916-27; many ditcher (steam shovel) photos

Southern Pacific Snow Service revised & expanded

Ballast Hoppers at Felton, CA, Feb. 1968, HumongOphotos^TM:

SP 470044, blt. 7-25, w/Vulcan trucks
SP 470438, blt. 5-37
SP 460237, blt. 9-53

SPMW 554 (ex narrow gauge?) duckbill coach, circa late 1930's; location & photographer unknown

U.S. Forest Service (ex SP?) tank car next to Andesite, California SP siding; another view is here

Relief train, Carlin NV, 9-1965 from pedestrian overpass

SP steam wrecking crane MW7050, top view; uncropped view is here
"Snap Track" bulkhead flat
Heavyweight crew cars

An early (1907) work of famed illustrator Thornton Oakley.

Santa Rosa, NM Work Trains, 1984

SPMW 4679 Flatcar, Pressed Steel Car CO.?

SPMW 3402 Steam Plie Driver

Conference Car #115 in two-tone grey switched by Alco S-4 #1831; San Jose, early 1969.

^12-15Conference Car #115, Tacoma, WA scrap yard, 5-20-1978

MW 7011 (re# from MW 691 on 12-1-31); Sparks, Nevada, July 1965


Southern Pacific Maintenance of Way Last Update: 12/18/15		SP Index
A tip of the hat to M/W workers everywhere from a former track department employee: these guys, were/are the least appreciated and paid, but most heavily worked (and some of the nicest) folks in the railroad community. Eight hours with shovel, tamping bar and spike maul is tough enough, but whenever a train scatters all over the real estate, it's M/W people that slave, with no rest for 16, 18, 24 hours or more, to put things right. See the Big Coyote Pileup of '66. ^12-15Donner's Unsung Heroes - Early 1980's photos by SR Bush of his motor car rides w/ the Colfax section crew. Earl Hanson's SP Ditcher Gang, 1916-27; many ditcher (steam shovel) photos Southern Pacific Snow Service revised & expanded Ballast Hoppers at Felton, CA, Feb. 1968, HumongOphotos^TM: SP 470044, blt. 7-25, w/Vulcan trucks SP 470438, blt. 5-37 SP 460237, blt. 9-53 SPMW 554 (ex narrow gauge?) duckbill coach, circa late 1930's; location & photographer unknown U.S. Forest Service (ex SP?) tank car next to Andesite, California SP siding; another view is here Relief train, Carlin NV, 9-1965 from pedestrian overpass SP steam wrecking crane MW7050, top view; uncropped view is here "Snap Track" bulkhead flat Heavyweight crew cars	An early (1907) work of famed illustrator Thornton Oakley.
	Santa Rosa, NM Work Trains, 1984 SPMW 4679 Flatcar, Pressed Steel Car CO.? SPMW 3402 Steam Plie Driver Conference Car #115 in two-tone grey switched by Alco S-4 #1831; San Jose, early 1969. ^12-15Conference Car #115, Tacoma, WA scrap yard, 5-20-1978

MW 7011 (re# from MW 691 on 12-1-31); Sparks, Nevada, July 1965




Photos Copyright 2003-2007, E.O. Gibson